WHAT DOES THE RISE OF PUBLIC SHAMING SAY ABOUT ONLINE CULTURE AND IS IT HERE TO STAY?

Jon Ronson is a Welsh journalist, author and documentary filmmaker whose works include best-seller The Men Who Stare at Goats and The Psychopath Test. He has been described as a #gonzo journalist, known for his informal but sceptical, investigations of controversial fringe politics and science. His new book So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed explores public humiliation in the internet age.

John Safran is an award-winning documentary-maker of provocative and hilarious takes on race, the media, religion and other issues.

Both appearing at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, Sydney 5-6 Sept, 2015

Afshin Rattansi goes underground with a roundup of 2014. John Pilger warns of a ‘real possibility’ of a nuclear war between Russia and the US, with Western coverage of Ukraine where the truth is ‘so inverted.’ He also points out media bias over the CIA torture report, which Britain has always been ‘masters’ in, and questions the need for force in the Sydney Siege.

Watch as John Pilger participates in a no holds barred interview on the conspiracy of torture on all levels of politics; “they’re all part of it, they all go along with it”.

“It’s very dangerous now to take part in demonstrations (sic) and for any journalist to stand up to vested interests”.

Requiring crowd funding for his next project John Pilger has gone to seek support for his new film about the American war with China, (working title “The Coming War”); this has been a necessity to ensure “broadcasting dissent” continues.

Pilger also deconstructs the Sydney siege where he categorically states it was evident the police killed the hostages, and it’s questionable to call it a terrorist act. He also challenges the way Tony Abbott dealt with the siege and the way he directly spoke to Man Haron Monis.

In the full episode of Going Underground – Adrienne Makenda Kabana, the widow of Jimmy Mubenga, who died whilst being restrained by G4S officers, and Deborah Coles, of INQUEST, who have been providing support for the Mubenga family, join to discuss the controversial case of the man who 20 people claimed had screams of ‘I can’t breathe’ ignored.